Lubricating device



Jan. 29, 1935. F. J. HULL LUBRICATING -.DEVICE Filed March 9, 1928 FlG;6

Patented Jan. 29, 1935 f 1,989

UNITED STATES PATE T oF'FICE LUBRICATING DEVICE Foster J. Hull,HagerstoWn; Mel., assignor to Henry H. Snelling, Washington, D. C.

'Application March 9, 1928, Serial No 260,399 14 Claims. (Cl. 1824-45)This invention relates to lubricators of the In the drawingz- V g ggrease Cup type from which the lubricant is Figure 1 is a side Elevationview of a lubriactor ejected to a bearing by means of a spring Operatedin accordance with this invention. piston which forces the lubricantthrough the Figure 2 is a Vertical S ti nal V w of h discharge passagepast a Valve arranged to Conlubricator shown in Figure'l. g trol therate Of flow of the lubricant. In this lubri Figur 3 is a cr sti nalView ak n n l n cator the piston is provided with an extension the 3-3of Figure 2. v k end of which projects out of the body of the' Figure 4isa cross-sectional view taken on line grease cup and provides anindicator as to* the H of Figure 2.

amount of lubricant the cup contains, and the Figure 5 is across-sectional View taken online 10' control Valve is mounted on athreaded extension 5 5 of Figure 2.

on the opposite side of the piston and may be ad- Fgure 6 is adiagrammaticv View of a filling sysjusted to permit more or lesslubricant to pass it tem for a plura Of lubricatOrS in accordance' byrotating the piston with respect to the Valve With this invention. V

to change the position of the 'Valve in the dis- -Referring tothedrawing the body of the lubri-. 15

charge passage. v cator comprises a cylindrical-'cup 11 providedAccording to the present improvements the in- With, a rotatable cover 12and a threaded boss 13' dicator provided by the extension on the pistonis having a diScharge passage 4 therethru- The entirely enclosed in acasing so as to keep dirt up p v d a a ber or lubricant at 15.be-'

0 from entering the lubricator and thereby prevent tween the di ch p sand a p n 16v O grit from Wedging between the parts and checkmounted tOrecipr t Within the p according ing the operation of the grease pistonas might to th amount of lubricant thereinreadily occur in case thelubricator Without such h p s o 6 consists o a; c r metal d k.

a casing was installed for example on a, Sand 17 to which a cup leather18 may be suitably se-f blast machine. The casing is provided with aglass c ed y means O a ring 9 d fastenngimem- 25 tube surrounding theindioator extension on the b rs uch as cr WS 20 xt ndin th re hru-intpiston so that it will be possible to determine he d s 17- T e piston 16s ui d in the p when to refill the lubricator by observing the by e s OfeXtenSiOnS 21 d 22 011 the pp position of the extension. The lubricatoris also and lower Sides respect v y 0f the disk provided it a i b gagefor indicating th tension 21 being 'of a polygonal cross section' and 30position of the feed controlling-Valve ith repass n thru an ap t of tSame hap i spect to the grease piston Whereby it may be adcover 12.Extension 22 has a threaded portion justed for a definite control of theflow of lubri- Or Wo m 23 p n which is mounted a control cant to thebearing which is to be lubricated. Va v .24, E t n n 1 i pr vid d W th afla Th lub i t i ro ided with tt hm t 25 in the form of a disk securedto its end which 35 for connecting refilling devices thereto such as theis adapt d tO engage the cover 12 before the Ordinary greaseguns or acommon system -foie: leather cup 18 reaches the bottom of thelubrifilling a plurality'of such grease cups is provided c t r nextension 22 iS provided W a mto which a grease-gun is attached. Inorder'to ber 6 t prevent the control Valve 24 from prevent anexcessivepress'ure in'a'ny OlBOf .the ing SCreeVYd t Worm A Compressoncups which might Occur durngvthe fimng f a spring 27 ISposltionedbetween the cover 12 and plurality of cups, the extension: onthe grease dlsk 17 to fotce mston downwardly mto piston of eachlubricator upon which the control Cup eJeCtmg the mbncant Into the bear'ls momted ls also' provided W a Valve he cover 12 is rotatably securedon the cup 11 45 g z g f g by means of a ring 28 which cooperates withanas they are filled With the right amount of lubrimnm gmoves m the cupand m manner to keep the cover from readily coming 01T and cant withoutinterfering with other cups which prevent the entrance f into the cup Inthe have not been completely These ValVE upper poron of cup a, pring 29one end 50 V members are so arranged that they will' not in of which isi d th a t m, 31 that'pro; terefere with the flow of lubricant throughthe jects through an aperture in the cup and is adaptdischarge passagesof the lubricators at any time. ed to engage with any one of a series ofdepres Further features and details of the invention sions 30 in theinterior of the flange 33 of the will hereinafter appear. cover. On theexterior of the flange 33 are a, series 55 of numerals 34 correspondingto the depressions 30 and the lubricator cup 11 is provided with anindex arrow 35 whereby the angular position of the cover 12 with respectto the cup may be determined and consequently the adjustment of thefeeding of the lubricant by the control Valve 24 may be gaged since thepiston 16 is caused to turn With the cover 12, and the worm 23, therebymoves the control piston With respect to t'he'plunger.v

In order to prevent. apossible entry of dirt'thru the cover 12 where theextension 21 passes thru it, a casing 36 is arranged to enclose theouter end of the extension 21. The position of the piston is indicatedby the position of the end. of

the extension 21 in the casing, 36 as its side Walls' consist oftransparent material such asv a' glass tube 37 which is securedbetweentthe cover 12and an end'plate 38 by means of bolts 39 extendingthru the plate 38 and into the cover 12. The bolts 39 also protect theglass tube 37 to a great extent as will readily be observed.

' In order to move the control Valve 24 with respect to the piston aplurality of Wings 40 extend from its sidesinto grooves 41 in thepassage 14 which prevent the control Valve 24 from turning When thepiston 16 is turned by rotation of the cover 12. Figure 2 represents theparts in the position they are in when the cup is half' full oflubricant. As the lubricant is ej'ected from the cup the piston 16;together with all the parts connected therewith, are orced downwardly bythe spring27'and gradually the piston is lowered until its lower endextends into the enlarged lower portion 42 of the passage 14. Itwill'benoted that the Wings 40 are tapered sothat when they pass intothe enlarged portion 42'of the passage, a largerpassageway isprovidedwhichgradually increases as the plunger approaches its lowermostposition. This compensates for the weakening of the compression spring27 as 'it expands and the adjustment for a greater or lesser volume ofgrease or for difierence of' flow potential of different grades oflubricating grease may be made by turning the cover 12 as hereinbeforeexplained.

In order to ll the lubricator a nipple 43 having suitable securingprojections 44' for a grease gun ismounted in an inlet passage 44 in thebottom' of cup 12. A ball Valve 45 is pressed by a spring 46 normally toclose the outer end of the nipple 43 to prevent lubricant from comingout thru-this nipple. V

Mountedon the extension 22 is a Valve member 4-7 which reciprocates withthe extension in the outlet' passage and' when in its upper positioncloses the inlet passage 44 thereby limiting the amount of lubricantwhich may be forced into the cup at one filling. This Valve: is providedwith one or more apertures 48 providing passageways for lubricantbetween the cup and the bearing at all 'times but the Valve 47'preventslubricant from' beingforced rapidly into the bearing by means of the gunfilling the cups.

IniFigure 6 two lubricators, in accordance with this invention, areshown connected by'pipes 49 and 50 With a conduit 51 for simultaneousfilling by means of a grease gun or filler 52 connected therewith. Anynumber of such Iubricators may be so connected for simultaneous fillingfrom the conduit in which case the ball check Valve'45 will not benecessary except at the connection 53 for the filler 52. As each of thelubricator cups connected With the conduit 51 is lled its Valve member47 closes its inlet and permits the operation of the filler 52 toproceed until the lubricators are all full as Will be indicated by theposition ofthe extensions 21 in the casings 36. The substantial closingof the lubricators by Valve members 24 and 47 as they are lled effects amaterial Saving of lubricant especially in the event of a loose fittingbearing through which the lubricant might be forced and also insures amore even filling of all the connected lubricators.

Obvious changes in details and proportions of various parts may beresorted to Within the Scope of the invention.

What I claim is:

l.. In a lubricating device, a grease cup having a discharge passage, aremovable piston reciprocable within the cup, pressure means operativeupon-said piston' to force lubricant thru the discharge passage, and acontrol Valve reciprocably mounted in the discharge passage andconnected with said piston to be moved thereby as the pistonnreciprocates within the cup to increase the size of the dischargepassage as the piston moves downwardly withinthe cup, means to move thecontrol Valve with respect to the piston When the l'atter is revolvedand means for revolving said piston at will.

2. In a lubricating device, a grease cup having a discharge passage, aControl Valve within the discharge passage controlling the' rate ofdischarge of. the grease, a cover rotatably mounted on the cupand'having an aperture therein, and a member exten'ding thru the aperture inthe cover to be rotated by'movement of the cover for adjusting theposition of the Valve in the discharge passage of the cup.

3. In a lubricating device, a cup having a discharge passage, a springpressed piston reciprocating in the cup to force lubricant thru thedischarge passage, a Valve in said discharge passage, a cover rotatablymounted on the cup and having an aperture therein, and a memberextending from the piston to reciprocate thru the aperture in the cover.and to be rotated by movement of the cover for adjusting the position ofthe Valve in the discharge passage of the cup, said cover having afiange extending over the cup and provided With a series of depressionsaround its inner surface, a corresponding series of indicatingcharacters on said flange, a spring'operated detent for engaging thedepressions, and an index on the cup cooperative with said indicatingcharacters whereby the setting of the cup for adjusting of' the controlValve will be visibly shown;

4. In a lubricating device, a grease cup having filling and dischargepassages in one end thereof, a piston reciprocable Within the cup,pressure means operative-upon Said piston to force lubricant thru thedischargepassage, and a Valve movable with the piston to close only thefilling passage when the cup is lled to the required amount;

'^ 5. In a lubricating device, a grease cup having a discharge passage,a piston in said cup, a control Valve in the discharge passage, a springurging the piston to force grease thru the discharge passage, meansvisible from a distance for indicating the relative rate of flow of thegrease and means connecting said first means to said Valve and piston toshow the quantity of grease in the cup.

. 6. In a lubricating device, a grease cup having a'discharge passage, apiston having an indicating stem, means completely enclosing the stem,and a control Valve movable with the piston, said enclosing means beingrotatable to adjust the position of the controlvalve with re- Spect tothe piston to alter the rate of flow of the grease.

7. In a lubricating device, a grease cup having a valved entrancepassage and a discharge passage, a piston reciprocating in the cup todischarge grease thru the discharge opening, and

a Valve automatically closing communication betWeen the inlet passageand the cup Chamber when the cup is filled With lubricant While at thesame time providing a restricted opening permitting the fioW of greasefrom the cup Chamber thru the discharge passage.

8. In a lubricating device, a Chamber, a discharge passage, means fordischarging lubricant from said *Chamber having a stem projecting intothe discharge passage, a control Valve adjustably mounted on the stem,an inlet extending radially into the discharge passage, and a collar onsaid Stem and having openings therethru parallel to the aXis of the stemand having a Smooth peripheral surface to close the inlet opening.

9. A grease cup having an inlet opening and a discharge passage, aone-way Valve closing the inlet opening, a piston in the cup having astem extending into the discharge passage, means for moving the pistonto discharge the lubricant from the cup, a Valve movable With said stemto close the inlet opening, a control Valve adjustable On the stem togovern the rate of discharge of the grease, means for holding thecontrol Valve against rotation, and means for rotating the Stem Whilethe device is in use.

10. In a grease cup having a grease expelling means, a dischargepassage, and an inlet passage communicating therewith, a. Stem extendinginto the discharge passage, a perforated cylindrical disk having aSmooth periphery and fitting the bore of the discharge passage, saiddisk being of such axial length as to close the entrance opening, andfurther means adjustably mounted With respect to the disk to govem therate of flow of grease thru the discharge passage.

11. In a lubricating device having a main Chamber, a discharge passagein communication therewith for leading lubricant to a bearing to belubricated and an entrance passageway Whereby lubricating material maybe forced into the Chamber, a one-Way Valve -for preventing passage oflubricant from the Chamber thru the entrance passage, and means in thedischarge passage for automatically ::losing onl the entrance passageWhen the Chamber is substantially full of lubricant.

12. The device of claim 11 in which the means is of less cross sectionalarea than the discharge passage so as to permit the flow of lubricantfrom the Chamber to the bearing in any position of said means.

13. A grease cup having an outlet passage, a reservoir, and a valvedintake or filling passage, said filling passage leading directly intosaid outlet passage means for discharging grease from the reservoirthruthe outlet passage, and a Valve closing communication between theintake and outlet passages When 'the reservoir is filled to. a chosenextent. V

14. In alubrica'ting device, a grease cup having a discharge passage anda filling passage terminating in said discharge passage, a one-Way Valvein the filling passage, a piston reciprocable in the cup, pressure meansoperative upon said piston to force lubricant thru the discharge pas

